Cuckoos: The Tale of Whitecurrent
by Nevra Black
Summary: A cuckoo is a bird that abandons it's baby to be raised by another bird, the parent non the wiser; it does not realize the chick that's bigger and stronger than it's other kids isn't it's own. Alicia Burton is nothing like her brother and sisters, stuck in her family's dysfunction. Until one day she saves a boy's life, and thus Stirling and Sideswipe enter her life.
1. Chapter 1

**Plot Bunny! Yay! Here ya go!  
><strong>

**I will warn you now. There is violence, mild swearing, murder and attempted suicide, so far, in this story! If any of those things listed bug you, then this ain't the story for you. Otherwise, please, enjoy!**

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><p><em>A nest parasite is a species that does not raise it's own offspring, but rather finds a temporarily unguarded nest and lays it's eggs there. The host parent will protect the egg, raise the chick and nurture it. Despite the fact it looks nothing like the rest of it's babies, being larger, stronger and aggressive. The parasite chick will eventually become a danger to the other chicks, and push the other babies out of the nest to die of exposure, insuring the parasite's survival. A fine example of this is the Cuckoo, which is perhaps the most famous of the aptly named nest parasites, but by no means is she the only kind...<em>

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><p>Alicia Burton sat alone in her room, staring at herself in the shiny screen of her cell phone. Downstairs, something smashed against the wall, and her mother began to scream obscenities at her latest boy-toy. He returned fire, and there was another crash. Alicia curled up into a fetal ball, her dirty blonde hair getting in her face. She would not cry. Why would she? It wasn't like this would be the first time that her mother had ruined her own life. It wasn't the first time, but it still hurt the teenager.<p>

Alicia stared at the walls, covered in different posters, drawings of aliens she'd created, photographs from conspiracy sites. A shelf full of books, ranging from Tolkien, to Asimov, to Holly Black, all lined neatly with well worn spines turned out, showing the names. Action figures and dolls dressed in odd clothes lined the dresser, Barbies scrounged from garage sales and thrift shops, G.I Joe next to them. But one thing you notice was the one picture on the far wall. It was huge, bought with Alicia's money earned from various odd jobs, a professional canvas painted with acrylics. It showed a metallic planet floating in a sea of black space, one that she saw in her minds eye. She knew it from somewhere, a memory of some kind. But as soon as Alicia saw it, she knew it was important. She knew she had had to paint it.

Alicia glanced at the picture, closing her eyes tightly. Then she walked to the window, creeping out, blocking out the screams from downstairs.

Alicia climbed down the ruined trellis, the ruined hops plant crumbling like dust when she touched it. Landing on the ground, Alicia stepped onto the yellowing grass, and looked up at the orange light of her room.

The screaming was still audible, and still horrible. Alicia looked coldly at the front door, then turned away. She was not going to waste her time listening to this all evening.

She grabbed her bike, hopping onto it and pedaling towards Swift Brook Mall. She smiled as she saw it, still open, a refuge. Maybe Tasha was still on shift, and Alicia could catch her after she was done, then they could just head to the Blue Moon cafe.

Alicia put her bike into the rack, and locked it. She caught sight of the boy as she looked up, standing in the middle of the road, speaking heatedly into a cell phone.

Immediately, she looked sharply at him, doing a double take. A car skidded towards him through the parking lot, he seemed oblivious until it was too late.

Eyes as green as Alicia's own widened in shock as the car screamed towards him, black hair framing the expression in his face.

Alicia screamed, and felt a surge through her arms. The world glowed blue, and the pain was enough to knock Alicia down onto the cement. The world went black, Alicia gasping as her lungs felt fit to burst.

When Alicia woke up, the boy was kneeling beside her.

"Holy shit." He said breathlessly. "What the hell did you do?"

"Nothing." Alicia said. Her tongue felt heavy and dry.

"No. You saved my life." Said the boy. "You made a shield. Out of blue light."

Alicia shook her head. "No. Seriously, dude, you're crazy."

"That's just it." He told her. "I thought I was crazy. I thought I was the only one."

The blonde shook her head. "I gotta go." She said.

The boy helped her up. energy crackled as soon as she touched him, blue-white and red sparks. Alicia took one more look at him, watching as a new car, a silver corvette, drove up behind him. Alicia felt a chill, looking at the boy.

"Stay away." Said Alicia. She looked at the corvette, saw it had no driver, and suddenly information began run through her brain.

Situation- Dangerous.

Subjects- Unknown.

Solution- Run.

Alicia, gasping and exhausted, took one last look at the boy and the driverless car, and ran into the mall.

The boy looked as though to go after her, only to be stopped by the car.

"No, Stirling." Said the corvette. "Let her be. You were just as frightened when you found out."

"So what do we do, Sides?" Asked Stirling.

"Nothing yet." Sides opened the drivers side door, letting the kid inside. "Let's find some shelter for you. She won't go far."

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><p>Stirling stared at his hands, alone in the hotel room again. It was all he could do not to think about the girl who'd saved him. She hadn't seen Sideswipe transform and grab the car full of hoodlums. She'd woken up just as he'd come back from dumping them somewhere they'd have a helluva time escaping. Where exactly the Autobot hadn't said, and Stirling probably didn't want to know.<p>

Stirling wondered whether the circuits were visible under her skin, whether she was developing a taste for things humans couldn't eat, like oil.

Probably not yet. It seemed to increase when you were around one of Them. With Stirling, he'd only shorted out a lot of appliances and blasted the school bully with some energy. When Sides had found him, though, everything had gone into overdrive. Forget puberty, this was far more confusing.

The boy rolled over on the bed, ignoring the noises coming from the room next door. He hated it when Sideswipe said they couldn't camp. For some reason the mech had decided that if human shelter was available, he should dump his charge in there. And it was always one of those seedy places you saw on police dramas. Stirling walked over to the window and peeked out. Sideswipe was out there somewhere, hiding. A corvette would be like a whippet in a pack of chihuahuas around here. Stirling grabbed his backpack and sat on the floor, digging through and producing the old newspaper clippings, his old, battered sketch of a metal planet, and his note book. He flipped through the entries.

_Lutasha Mason- Striker. Boston. Status- offlined_

_Mark Browning- Deuce. New Orleans. Status- offlined_

_Manson Cowerd- Darkslaughter. Los Angeles. Status- unknown_

The list went on and on. Twenty total, all like him. And now a new one.

Stirling began to write underneath the last one in pencil.

Name- Unknown. Truename. Unknown. Swift Brook. Status- Acquiring.

"We aren't going to lose you, kid." Said Stirling, with dark determination. "They won't get you too."

And that was a promise.

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><p><strong>So, what do you think? Let me know with a comment and feel free to ask questions. Remember, if you like it and want more, be sure to tell me.<strong>

**Love Ya'll!**

**-Nevra  
><strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**So, we met a young girl named Alicia, who saved a strange boy named Stirling from being killed. A boy who seems to know something about her she doesn't. Let's see where this goes.**

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><p>In visions of the dark night<p>

I have dreamed of joy departed-

But a waking dream of life and light

Hath left me broken hearted.

-Edgar Allan Poe, 'A Dream'.

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><p>Alicia and Tasha sat together in the Blue Moon Cafe. Tasha was listening to Alicia's story about the boy with wide eyes, her undrunk cappuccino growing colder with every detail.<p>

"You're joking?" Said Tasha. "He actually claimed you made an energy shield? Where exactly was that supposed to come from? He's probably some drugged up vagrant."

"He had a corvette, Tash." Said Alicia. "A silver, smoking hot corvette."

"Probably stole it." Said Tasha. "You did the right thing coming in here before he did something worse than talk crazy." After a sip of her coffee, she looked thoughtfully at Alicia. "Do you want to report him? He might be dangerous."

"No." Alicia said quickly. "I don't think he'll do anything, really. He seemed-"

"Harmless?" Said Tasha. She frowned. "Ally, I have no idea how you say that after how many times you've had problems with your mama's boytoys."

"I believe all people deserve a chance, Tasha." Said Alicia, quietly. Tasha grinned. "Girl. You are too good for this town."

Alicia shrugged, smiling a bit. She grabbed Tasha's cappuccino, sniffed it and handed it back, cradling her own green tea. "I dunno how you drink that, Tash."

"I'm normal?" Said Tash, with a wicked grin. "Hey. Was he at least a cute crazy person?"

"Natasha!" Exclaimed Alicia, blushing.

"Oooh! He was! He was!" Tasha giggled insanely. Alicia grinned sheepishly.

"Shut up." She said. Tasha grinned.

"This calls for chocolate crepes!" Said Tasha with a grin. "Here's to escaping handsome, corvette driving crazy people."

Alicia grinned, but was still thinking of how there had been something about both corvette and boy that had frightening familiarity.

And she couldn't place it at all.

Alicia arrived home around 11 o'clock. The house was dark, and Alicia knew it was locked up. She walked up, grabbed the key from it's hiding place and went inside, tiptoeing.

Too late, though.

"Alicia Bridget Burton!"

Alicia winced and looked at her mother, sitting on the couch with a deadly frown on her face.

"Uh, hi Mum." Said Alicia.

"Where were you?" Asked Acacia Burton. Well, ask was putting it nicely. It was more a demand. Oh damn.

"I was out with Natasha." Said Alicia. "Having coffee at the Blue Moon."

"You snuck out." Said Ms. Burton. "Again. And went into that part of down!"

"Mom! Oh my god, why do you even care!" Alicia waved her hands, gesturing at the hole in the wall. "You were too busy arguing with your latest failure to notice if I'd been kidnapped by some pervert or psycho!" Alicia glared at Acacia. "Seriously, stop pretending."

"I do care, Ally."  
>Alicia shrugged. "Yeah. Cause you're going to give Ricky the same pep talk when he gets home. Oh, wait, he's been gone how long? And have you gone off to look for him?"<p>

"Ally, Ricky can look after him himself. You-"

Alicia had stormed off by then, not caring whether she woke up Cadence, her eternally depressed, suicidal and emotional sister. Alicia crawled into bed, miserable. She heard her mother's door close down the hall.

She couldn't stay here, Alicia thought. Elise had the right idea, leaving home so long ago.

Soon, decided Alicia. Like before boytoy Ben gets back.

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><p>"<em>Sideswipe!" <em>

_The silver 'Bot turned around, smiling at the approaching femme. _

"_Hey, Whitecurrent! What's up?"_

_The dark blue and white femme smiled at Sideswipe. _

"_The ship's here!" _

_Sideswipe looked at her, optics widening. "Is Sunny on board?"_

"_They're trying to hold him back."_

_Sideswipe grinned and they raced to the landing pad, weaving through the base and the other soldiers. Whitecurrent came up beside two other mechs, watching as the ship approached. _

"_Impressive." Said Mirage, his arms crossed and optics narrowed against the swirling rust particles. _

"_Sure is." Said Cliffjumper, grinning. "Do you think the Prime's really on there? For real?"_

"_He should be." Said Whitecurrent. "What do you think he'll be like?" She asked._

"_Sunny says he's alright." Said Sideswipe. "A little strict, but it's the second in command to watch out for."_

"_Why, Sides?" Asked Whitecurrent. "He catch your twin doing something stupid and throw him in the brig?"_

_Sides scowled. "It wasn't that bad. I wasn't there, after all. Prowl over reacted."_

"_What did he do to Prowl?" Asked Cliffjumper with a slag eating grin. _

_Sides couldn't help but smile a little. "He painted him pink." _

_Whitecurrent and Cliffjumper laughed, and even Mirage smiled a bit. "Hmm. If this is the Prowl I met last year, he would not have liked this."_

_Sideswipe nodded. "Yeah. He sure didn't."_

_When the new mechs started getting off the ship, Whitecurrent caught sight of the brilliant yellow armour that belonged to Sideswipes twin. The two mechs hugged, though Sunny was quick to break it off. Sideswipe brought his twin over, grinning as he saw Whitecurrent and her older brother Deuce standing at watching a tall red and blue mech emerge from the ship._

"_Optimus Prime!" Breathed Whitecurrent. "In our base."_

_Deuce grinned. "Hero worship, Green? Who'd have thought."_

_Whitecurrent's green optics narrowed, and she punched her black armoured brother in the shoulder plating. He grinned as he caught sight of his two old friends. _

"_Sunny! Sides! I see you found each other." _

"_Yup." Said Sideswipe. "I see you haven't been offlined yet, Deuce."  
>"Nope. Been keepin' my nose clean." <em>

_Whitecurrent grinned. "Lets hit up the commons tonight. We're all here except Striker, and Optimus Prime is on our base to aid the war effort. What's not to celebrate?"_

_The mechs all smiled, and that was that._

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><p><em>It had been a good night. There'd been goofing off, overcharging, jokes, pranks, stories, and songs sung. <em>

_It still brought a smile to Whitecurrent's face plates on patrol the next morning with Deuce, Cliff and Mirage. _

"_You serious about the stalemate?" Asked Deuce, nervously. _

"_Yeah, Deuce." Said Cliffjumper. "Not a sign of the 'Cons in weeks."_

"_Why does that make me nervous?" Deuce wondered aloud._

"_You and me both." Said Whitecurrent. "But there's no reason to worry too much."_

_They kept going, wary and getting tired. Finally, Deuce turned towards the base. "C'mon. We'll cross paths with the other Patrol soon. Lets go catch a little recharge and then go train for a bit."_

_Whitecurrent wasn't listening, though. She held up a servo for silence._

"_Do you hear that?"_

"_Hear what?" Asked Cliff._

_Then, he did hear it. Jet engines. Deuce's optics widened. "Cliffjumper. Get back to base. Warn Prime and the commander. We got 'Cons."_

"_What about you?" Asked the red bot. _

"_We'll keep them distracted." Said Whitecurrent. _

"_Oh no you won't." Said Deuce. "You're going back."_

_Whitecurrent glared. "Like Pit I am, Deuce."_

"_Green." Said Deuce in exasperation. _

_But Whitecurrent was already armed and ready, optics dangerous. "Don't argue. Cliff's faster than me, he should go." She looked at Cliff. "So. GO!"_

_Cliff was gone and transformed in seconds.  
>Whitecurrent smiled a bit as she saw the jets approach. "Lets have some fun, Deuce."<em>

_Deuce growled. "If you get shot, I'll kill you, Green."_

"_Pft." Said the femme with a grin. As the first jet came within distance, the two Autobots began shooting. _

_The first jet transformed, and Whitecurrent grinned. "Screamer." She muttered._

"_Get them!" Shrilled the seeker, pointing at the two lone Autobots. The other seekers attacked, blasting the siblings. Whitecurrent ran forward, one servo a blaster, the other a knife. She stabbed one of the seeker drones and shot another. She heard her brother cursing fluently, and tossed one of the drones at him._

"_Go long, Deuce!" _

_The mech shot the unfortunate jet through the torso, and he looked up as Whitecurrent ran towards Starscream. _

"_Whitecurrent! NO!"_

_But the femme didn't listen. The seeker's back was turned, and it was perfect. Something to brag about with the twins, 'Raj and Cliff._

_But then Starscream turned and grabbed her in mid air. His claws circled around her neck, and the seeker grinned maliciously. "Well, well. Brave little femme, aren't you?"_

_Whitecurrent glared at him dangerously, grabbing his arm to stop the pain. Starscream smiled. "Shockwave could use strong sparks like you. Of course, we need you to die first."_

_Now the anger was replaced by fear. No. No. I can't die._

_The seekers gun whirred with power. Starscream and Whitecurrent's optics met. She bared her denta, the fangs speaking of Kaonian heritage. "Do what you will, Scum. It'll come back to get you."_

_The Decepticon shot her._

_...It burned, and burned, and then- nothing. Blackness. Emptiness. Whitecurrent was gone…._

_...Then, cloudy fluid…._

…_.A single glowing red optic…._

…_.Strange alien noises and smells….._

…"_Alicia"..._

Alicia awoke with a gasp, eyes wide.

She was in her room.

Everything was normal. Acacia was yelling at Cadence, Cadence was yelling back, Tasha was honking her horn.

Life was normal.

And so, so wrong.

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><p>What do you think? Leave a review and let me know. Thanks to Optimusprimegirl123 for reveiwing last chapter, and to everyone who favorited.<p>

Luv ya'll!

-Nevra


	3. Chapter 3

** I apologize in advance if Sideswipe's a bit out of character. Enjoy!**

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><p>The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.<p>

-Marcus Tullius Cicero

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><p>Stirling watched the girl from his seat in the hot-wired car. She wasn't in school. He wondered absently if she was a drop out or had graduated early. It seemed their kind was either one or the other.<p>

He smiled absently at her choice in work. A mechanic. Of course that would seem familiar, even if she didn't realise it. She waved to another man in overalls working on an old ford pickup, who yelled something to her. She gestured and pointed at a pile of old parts, listened, then went to grab one. Holding it up for her co-worker to see, she then brought it over.

"You ready to go in, Sides?"

-As I'll ever be.- Grumbled Sideswipe over the shortwave, with very little gusto. -Just be ready to do your part.-

"Sure thing, you prissy alien." Chuckled Stirling.

He watched as a tall blond man appeared around the corner, walking towards the auto shop with casual grace. Sideswipe's holoform was scowling, bleak and rigid, and Stirling felt the irrational desire to either facepalm or run over and backhand the Autobot. Either wouldn't be unusual.

"Dude. You're trying to recruit her and make her comfortable, not make her want to whack with a monkey wrench!"

-It would not the first time.- Said Sideswipe driley. Stirling grumbled.

"Just make sure she knows who you are, and get an idea whether she's Bot or Con."

Sideswipe snorted and approached the shop, wishing that the squishy could do this instead.

"Hey Ally! You wanna handle this guy."

Alicia poked her head out from under the Volkswagen beetle she was fixing and caught sight of the overly pristine shirt and jeans walking into the lot. She sighed, crawled out from under the car and yelled back at her friend. "Sure thing, Riker!" She grabbed a rag to get the oil off her hands and stood, frowning a bit as she saw how well kept the man was. Ashy blonde, perfect, angular face, white t-shirt, brown jacket and blue jeans.

He did not look like he belonged in this town.

"Hi!" Said Alicia. "Can I help you?"

The man looked at the dirt on her coveralls critically. "Yeah. You any good with sports cars?"

Alicia shrugged. "Can do it. Don't get too many in here, though." She frowned a bit. "If you don't mind me asking, but why come here?"

"New to town, and haven't found one I'm happy with."

"What kind of sports car are we talking?"

"Chevrolet Corvette Stingray." Said the man. Ally's eyes widened.

"Holy- Are you joking?"

"No."

Ally looked at him. "It legally yours?"

The smirk he gave me was small and amused. "Oh, yeah." He said with a grin. "You bet, sweet spark."

Her eyebrow went up, and she frowned. "You need an appointment right away?"

"That'd be nice." He said, though his smile seemed a bit forced.

"So,what's your name, hotshot?" Asked Alicia.

"Sides Jaeger." He said offhandedly. "What's yours, Green?"

Alicia froze a bit, the nickname sounding strangely, painfully familiar. She didn't dwell too long on it though.

"Alicia."

"You got a last name?"

"Not one I'm in the habit of giving guys I just met. Wait a minute while I go grab my boss. If you want to make an appointment, you'll have to talk to her."

Sides glowered, but waited as Alicia went into the back. She came out with an older woman with brown hair and a build Sideswipe had never seen in a live human female before. It was rather intimidating.

"Jaeger?" She asked brusquely.

"Yes ma'am." He said, this kind of person bringing out the soldier in him.

She smiled thinly. "Opal Sinclair." She said. "I hear you have a car in need of a check up."

"Yes ma'am."

The appointment was made, and as Sideswipe left, he saw Alicia working on the Beetle.

He walked over. "You seem very efficient." He said.

Alicia, who was underneath again, sighed. "What do you want, Mr. Jaeger."

"Call me Sides." He said. "All I want to do is get to know about the mechanic that'll be touching my bo- er, car."

The girl clanked around, rolled out from beneath and glared. "Is that all?"

Sideswipe shrugged. "Wouldn't you?"

"I already do. Me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've hours to put in."

The Cybertronian hated it when this happened. He was so used to femmes being warm and eager to please when it came to him. He was about to say more, when suddenly she came scrambling out from under the car, eyes wide, hands shaking. There was oil on her face, concentrated around her mouth, but she didn't seem to notice. She stared at him.

"Are you okay, Green?" Asked Sides, concern leaking into his voice.

She looked at him, and nodded weakly.

Sides helped her to the back, and the human femme pushed him away.

"I can look after myself, Sideswipe." She growled.

"What did you call me?" Sides asked, flabbergasted.

Alicia's eyes widened. She looked at him, then at the back room where Opal was. And she mumbled excuse me and ran.

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><p>"Her names Alicia?"<p>

They were outside town, Sideswipe in full robot form and leaning over Stirling as the teenager recorded what they know.

"Yup." Said Sideswipe. "I couldn't figure which side she was on though. She knew me, though."

"Really?" Said Stirling, his curiosity aroused.

"So, now I have to take my body in to be checked over by a squishy." Sides shuddered.

"Yeesh, Sideswipe. You are such a princess."

"You haven't met my brother." The Bot told him.

"If he's worse than you, I've yet to believe it."

Sideswipe grumbled something under his breath. After a minute, Stirling prepared to close his book.

"How much do remember about your Cybertronian life, Stirling?"

Stirling was surprised, and unsure how to answer. "Well, bits and pieces. Whatever they did to me must have screwed up my memory."

"You remember your name."

"Yeah." Said Stirling.

"And that you were a Con."

Stirling's eyes narrowed, and he shoved his book into his shabby backpack. Sides winced a bit, remembering that Stirling didn't like remembering that part of his past life.

"Hey, Stirling. Sorry dude." Sides said tentatively. Primus knows he didn't need to piss off his only friend on this rock.

The green eyed boy paused and met the Autobots blue optics, his face still cold, but not closed off anymore.

"Hey. Can't help what I was before I was born. See you at the motel."

Sides sat there a minute, glanced up at the stars miserably, and then transformed to catch up with Stirling Turner.

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><p><strong>So, what do you think? Did I do alright with Sideswipe? Let me know, and I promise that I'll post again as soon as this stuff is dealt with.<strong>

**Luv ya'll! **

**-Nevra**


	4. Chapter 4

**Alicia Burton is an average girl, or so she thinks. And a boy named Stirling seems to know the truth about her, accompanied by a silver corvette. **

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><p><em>Crawling in my skin,<em>

_These wounds they will not heal._

_Fear is how I fall;_

_Confusing what is real._

_-Crawling, Linkin Park_

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><p>"I'm sorry for my rudeness the other day."<p>

Alicia looked up and right into the face of Sides Jaeger, who was smiling slightly. Apologetically.

Alicia was working desk duty today, and had forgotten completely about Jaeger's appointment.

"I'm sorry?" Alicia said, skeptically. Sides grinned a bit.

"I'm apologizing here, Alicia. Remember?"

"Well, apology accepted, I guess." Said Alicia, a little surprised he was talking to her, and immediately sure there was another reason for his kindness. There always was.

"Well, you here for your car's check-up, or not?" Alicia said cooly. Sides nodded and they went outside, where Riker and the two other mechanics were staring open mouthed at the beautiful silver sports car. They never got anything this impressive here.

"Nice car." Said Alicia, and Sides nodded.

"I know. So you'll be working on him?"

"Yeah." Said Alicia. "I'm the only one who wanted the job."

"Really?"

"Yup." She walked over, giving the body a critical look before turning to her co-workers, brushing her hand over a crack full of a weird blue powder. "Well? Opal isn't paying you to gawk, Riker. Swallow those flies and go get Hanson's order sorted. Marv, go get Mr. Jaeger comfy, this won't take long. And Stephen." She glared at one man, practically a boy, and narrowed those cold eyes right at him. "Eyes off my ass."

Stephen grinned sheepishly, and scurried off like a starving rat.

Sides looked approvingly at Alicia, impressed by the fire in the young femme. She then looked at him critically, and Sides got the distinct feeling Alicia was about to shoo him off too. But she didn't. She grabbed her tools and went to work.

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><p>When Sideswipe's holoform walked into the motel room hours later, he actually paused to look at the unexpected carnage, and dropped the takeout boxes on the floor. Ripped drapes, sheets and pillows. Tipped over desk, long gouges in the wall.<p>

And in the middle of it all was Stirling.

"Stirling!"

Sides was at his friend's side in seconds, staring at the blood and oil on the floor. And energon. Stirling's body was synthesizing energy.

"Stirling, are you okay?"

The teenager nodded, and shifted so that Sides could see the wiring, the clawed digits, the ripped organic flesh. Stirling looked up and his eyes were starting to turn red at the centers, the wiring shooting through his eyeball like angry scars, bursting blood vessels and turning the white red with blood and blue with energon. Energon corrosive to human biology.

Before Sideswipe could say anything, Stirling brushed him off. "It'll heal in about 24 hours. It always does."

"Stirling. Do you realise how stupid that sounds?"

"Yeah. But I have to believe it, or else I'm screwed." He laughed, and the Autobot saw the humans skin was so thin, the growing protoform showed. Wires and gears and things humans had no words for.

"You're starting to look like him." Sideswipe said.

"I am him." Growled Stirling. "What do you expect, for me to look like some dead Autobot friend, when we both know what brood I hatched from?"

Stirling crawled onto the ruined bed, his every move jerky. He exhaled heavily, and looked at Sideswipe. "So, you apologised?"

"Yeah." Said Sideswipe.

"And?"

"You sound like you expect more."

Stirling groaned and pointed to the TV set. "Well, if you have nothing interesting to tell me, turn the news on."

"-Strange reports about meteors falling from the sky in residential areas-"

Stirling shot up. "What did that say?"

Sideswipe didn't answer. Instead, the 'bot leaned in towards the TV, eyes widening.

The female reporter sounded vaguely amused, her voice indicating that she was above such foolishness as she was reporting. "One witness snapped a photo of the alien he claimed emerged from the meteor here downtown."

In the corner of the screen, a dark, blurry photo appeared. It was vaguely humanoid, with two glowing eyes set very, very high off the ground. But it was the irritable look in them that made Sides gasp.

"Ratchet!"

Stirling was there even faster than Sides expected. "The Autobot medic!"

They looked at each other. "You know what that means?" Stirling asked.

"They're here." Sides laughed. "Where Ratchet is, Prime isn't far behind! And where Ratchet is, Sunny-"

He cut himself off before he dared to say it. Stirling's eyes were alight.

"We're upping our game, Autobot." Said the one time human. "We need to get Alicia on our side, because you know what else Prime's presence means?"

Sides sobered instantly.

"That's right, princess. Megatron, the Lord freakin' Voldemort of the Decepticons is around again too."

Sideswipe closed his eyes, resting his forehead in his palm. "Slag."

Stirling smirked a bit. "You know, my friend. You're the king of understatement."

* * *

><p>Alicia sat at the dinner table with Cadence, eating Kraft dinner and feeling miserable.<p>

"How's school, Cade?"

The younger girl shrugged. Alicia sighed.

"You take your meds?"

"Yeah, _mom._" Said Cadence. "Speaking of whom, has a new boyfriend."

"Already." Said Alicia. "God, she never knows when to give up."

"No duh. At least this one looks like he can be arrested, instead of a simple, knuckle dragging man whore."

"Cade, eat."

"Why? So I can get fat like you?"

Alicia felt like leaving, but there was one simple rule in the Burton house. You don't leave Cadence alone for longer than it takes to grab a knife.

Alicia focused on the TV report instead of Cadence. What she saw nearly made her cry out. She did spill her KD, though. Cadence looked up sharply.

"Ally? What's wrong?"

But Alicia didn't hear her sister. Instead her eyes began to water, and she put her hands to her mouth.

_The medic held her hand comfortingly. "Your brother's alright. The shrapnel's been removed, and theres no permanent damage."_

"_My carrier? Wheres my carrier?"_

_His face softened as coolant leaked from the femmeling's optics. "I'm sorry, small one. She didn't make it."_

_The keen the sparkling released was spark wrenching. "No! No, you're lying! Mama can't be dead!"_

_The medic hugged her quickly. He was just a field medic. What was he supposed to do?_

"_It'll be alright. It'll be okay." he said, a bit gruffly. _

"_I won't let them hurt you…."_

"Ally!"

Cadence stared at her sister. "Ally! On my god, what's wrong? Do I need to call mom? What do I do?"

"I'm fine." said Alicia. "Just fine."

Cadence calmed down, and was back to normal all right. "Well, you'd better be glad I didn't have to call Mum. If she saw the crazy root job in your hair, she'd lose it."

"Root job?"

Cadence scoffed, and Ally raced to the bathroom mirror.

Sure enough, the roots of her hair were black. No, wait. Dark blue. But, she hadn't done anything.

"What's wrong with me?" She whispered. She hadn't had a flash since the first day she'd met Sides Jaeger. The silver mech and his yellow twin had been there, the yellow one sullen, the silver one flirting with her, and she remembered how adorable they had both been, but she'd never tell Sides and Sunny that….

Oh, my God.

What was wrong with her, Alicia wanted to scream. What. Was. Wrong.

Acacia and Cadence found her there only a few minutes later, in tears, rocking back and forth, staring at her hands.

"Ally." Acacia said softly.

The green eyed girl looked up at the two women, and her eyes were blank. "Who's Ally?" She asked, her voice oddly accented. "Who are you?"

"Ally, that's not funny." Said Acacia.

The girl shook her head, and then there was life in her face again. She suddenly began to sob, reaching a hand towards her mother and sister.

"Mummy." She whimpered like a small child. "Help me. It hurts."

Then all hell broke loose.

* * *

><p><strong>Uh, oh! Here we go! We are getting to the good stuff. What do you think? <strong>

**Thank you, Transfan1623 for pointing out to me the flaws in Sideswipes characterization. I hope this is a little better. :)**

**Leave a reveiw, please. **

**Luv ya'll!**

**-Nevra.**


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm back! And I am so sorry! This is such a late update! There's a lot going on, including the fact my darling little ****computer, ****Macky, needing a checkup, and me having to write on my phone. I can't guarantee that everything will be okay. Macky's pretty old. But I will attempt to find other ways to update, no worries. So, here you go, my lovelies! Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Oh I've gotta turn and run<p>

From faces that you never see

Oh I've gotta save my blood

From all that you've broken

And pack up these pieces of me

-Broken Pieces, Apocalytica featuring Lacey

Alicia screamed, thrashing about on the tiles, blood pooling around her.

Acacia and Cadence stared as their family member spasmed, as her skin caught on things and sparks flew.

Alicia screamed. And screamed. And screamed like a dying animal.

"Oh my god!" Acacia ran for her cell phone, slamming the door, and dialling those three magic numbers. "Hello? Oh god, you have to help me! My daughter is on the bathroom floor, there's blood everywhere! And she's screaming. Oh god, oh god. No, don't tell me to calm down! Can you hear that?"

She held the receiver up to hear Cadence's sobbing, the ripping in the bathroom, and then Alicia's scream.

The operator was still cool, but there was an edge now. Acacia nearly joined Cadence in the corner. "An ambulance. Thank you."

As soon as she hung up, there was a deadly silence. Acacia remembered that silence from her mother's murder. She ran to the door and burst in, expecting the empty eyes, the stillness. She got both, but Alicia wasn't dead. She stood there in the middle of her blood, and her hands were sparking green energy. She looked up at Acacia, eyes wide.

The older woman stared slackjawed at Alicia's hands. Metal hands, with two glowing circles in her palms and skin hanging grotesquely off the joints. The tips, slightly clawed.

Acacia backed up. "What are you?!" She demanded shrilly. "And what have you done with my daughter!"

Alicia's green eyes were filling with tears. "Mom. Mummy it's me. I'm Alicia."

"No! You're not! You're _not_! Cadence, get back!" Acacia backed away. Of course, now she'd bother to be a mother.

Alicia stood there, tears rolling down her bruised cheek. "Mom! Please, don't leave me alone! I don't know what to do! Help me!" She saw the terror in her mother's face, and she fell to the floor, clutching her darkening hair with her strange hands. "Somebody help me!" She screamed. Sparks flew, green flashes that went into the walls. Lights flickered, the radio in the next room began to act strange, the cell phones began to ring, and the smoke detector, broken and lying on the hallway floor, began to beep loudly.

Sirens sounded down the street.

Suddenly, Alicia felt oddly calm. She'd been through worse than this, she knew. And since no one else would help, Alicia stood up, ran past her mother and sister, and outside into the cool air. Instincts told to stay here would bring harm. Tasha's would be the first place they looked, but Mum didn't know about Opal Sinclair's shop.  
>The young creature, not quite human, not entirely robot, looked once more at the house. Already she was healing. By the time she reached Opal's, she'd be normal again. Safe.<p>

Alicia turned, and left her family behind.

* * *

><p>Opal was sitting in the residential part of her shop when the buzzer sounded.<p>

The older woman looked up from her coffee and paper, wondering who the hell'd come calling at nine, going on ten PM. She went to look at the monitor, and saw the familiar blonde head and green eyes of Alicia Burton. Opal was at the door as fast as she could get there, throwing it open. "Ally? What are you doing here? Are you crazy, where's your coat, girl?"

Alicia shivered. "Can I come in, Opal?"

"Sure, Ally." Opal watched as the teenager zipped in, looking wildly at the open door. Opal frowned.

"Alicia, what's wrong?"

The young mechanic just stood there. She smiled a bit, bitterly. "I don't know boss. I didn't know where else to go. I just," She trailed off and held out her hand.

"Look."

Opal looked at the skin, expecting to see evidence of self harm or abuse, but instead saw a strange greyness, and. And glowing lines?

"Ally, what did you do?"

"I dunno." Said Ally, pulling away her hand. "I was at home, and it just started splitting and there was metal and then the bathroom was trashed and mom was screaming and I had to run, but she'd find me at Tasha's and, and- oh god, what's wrong with me!"

Opal didn't like hysterics, let alone handling them. She quickly sat Alicia down at the table, gave her a cup of coffee and waited till her young employee settled down. Alicia breathed deeply, and stared into the coffee mug. She remembered this one. Steph had given it to Opal last year as a joke. It said 'Worlds best boss', with a heart and a sharpie smiley face gleefully added by Riker. They'd expected Opal to take one look at the heart and use the cup for oil, but it looks like she'd kept it instead.

"So, are you ready to tell me, Ally. You don't have to if you don't want to."

Ally looked over at her boss. "You'll think I'm crazy."

Opal smiled a bit. "Try me."

Ally gulped, and looked at her hands again. "Opal. I don't think I'm human."

Okay. So maybe she'd been expecting extreme body modifications, or a boy friend mama didn't like. Hell, even drugs. But this...

Maybe it was still drugs.

"Ally. What else could you be?" Opal said with surprising patience.

Suddenly, Ally stood up, and turned towards the TV, and scrunched up her face. "I think it works like this." She said absently. Suddenly, green sparks crawled out from beneath her skin, and towards the TV. There was a humm, and suddenly the TV began to flip through channels, and the lights began to flicker again, and the coffee machine began to brew. There was a smell like burnt plastic in the air, and Ally's eyes were glowing.

"Alicia." Said Opal, with surprising calm. "I'd say you're done now."

Alicia stopped, and the room became eerily quiet. Opal looked down at Alicia's hands, and saw that there were rips in the skin. Not just on her hands, but all the way up her arm and two on her face. Alicia turned, and said. "Well, are you going to freak out, too?"

"Nope." Said Opal.

Alicia raised her eyebrows, such a purely Alicia gesture that Opal nearly smiled. "You aren't scared?"

"Hell yeah." Said Opal. "But I happen to know you're Alicia Burton, and you've worked here since you were fifteen. The same mechanic I've relied on hundreds of times. So, get comfy. If you're running from something, Ally, I know you've a damn good reason."

Ally smiled. "Thanks, boss."

Opal shrugged. "Hide-a-bed's over there."

* * *

><p>Sideswipe walked into the shop the next morning, and saw Ally was the only one here. He walked over. "Hey, Green."<p>

She looked over, and he stopped in his tracks. She had two black eyes in a mask like the organic called a raccoon. She looked terrible.

"Oh, god, Alicia." He said. "What happened?"

She sniffed. "What are you doing here? Your car's fixed."

He grinned a little sheepishly. "Just, wanted to thank you for doing such a great job on my car."

Ally didn't look up again. She grimaced. "Thank me?"

"Yeah." Said Sides. "I, uh, wondered if you'd like to join me for dinner this evening."

Alicia was gone in seconds.

"Alicia, wait!" Said Sides. "I'm sorry."

She turned, and her eyes were narrowed. "What for?"

"What, is this one of those 'It's not you it's me' things?"

Ally nodded. "Clever boy."

"Alicia." He said, putting charm in his voice. "Look, just give me a chance-"

"You know, Sides, for some inexplicable reason, I don't want anything to happen to you. So do us both a favour, and stay away."

Sides stood there for a second, then blurted out. "I thought that was my line, Green."

Her lips twitched in a smile, there then gone. Alicia went into the office area.

"Hey, Green. Since we're switching roles, I'll be the pretty, desperate person with a crush." When he got no answer, he sighed.

"Alright. I'll see you around, then."

He walked out onto the street where Stirling and his body waited. He hopped inside, then dissolved into the dash.

Stirling scowled. "So?"

"Nada, squishy. Turned me down cold."

"You? Sideswipe? Second only to Sunstreaker in his pickup abilities? This is a new low for you, dude."

"Shut up, flesh bag." Said Sides defensively. "She transformed last night. I think being around me sped the process up."

"It did with me." Said Stirling. "What do we do?"

"No more subtlety." Saids Sides. "It's your turn, Roguey."

Stirling snarled. "Are you joking?"

"Not in the least." Said Sideswipe, his tone playful but edged with anger. "You were a negotiator back in the day, with the Enforcers, no?"

"Yes." Sputtered Stirling. "But she won't trust me."

Stirling suddenly found his face in the dash, Sides holoform holding him there. "Listen here, buddy my mech. This is your Primus damned mission. Finish it so we can find the Prime and hopefully my brother."

"I hate you, you prissy good for nothing-" The rest of Stirlings tirade was cut off when Sides applied more pressure.

"My recommendation, Stirling, is to just plead uncle already." Sideswipe chuckled.

"Uncle, you slag sucker."

Sides grinned, and his holoform vanished again. "Thank you so very much!" He said dryly.

Stirling cursed again, and pouted all the way back to their new motel.

* * *

><p><strong>Hmm. What do you think? Sideswipe's a bit aggressive. Could Sunny's absence be part of it? And Alicia's dealing with some tough stuff. How do you think her and Stirling's meeting will go?<strong>

**Leave a review, and let me know what you think! Merry be-lated Christmas (Hanukkah, Kwanza, ect.)!**

**Love Ya'll! **

**Nevra. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello, my lovelies! Happy new year! I know it has been for me! Hope 2015 is awesome!**

* * *

><p><em>I keep going to the river to pray<em>  
><em> 'Cause I need something that can wash all the pain<em>  
><em> And at most I'm sleeping all these demons away<em>  
><em> But your ghost, the ghost of you<em>  
><em> It keeps me awake<em>

_-Ella Henderson_

* * *

><p><em>Whitecurrent crept along the hallway, her green optics narrowed, and a visor over them to disguise their glow. The femme grinned, and spoke over the comm.<em>

"_Approaching the console, boss."_

"_Excellent, Whitecurrent." Said the commander cooly. "Now, intel states that Soundwave switches out with Roguestar in a few minutes. You'll be able to take him, Whitecurrent. Knock him out, and then do what you do best."_

_Whitecurrent grinned to herself. "Oh, boss, you must love me."_

_She could actually hear him processing that. _

_Whitecurrent paused outside the door, and placed her hand on the encryption pad. Sparks flew as she released the energy inside the circuitry. Whitecurrent had earned her name for this particular power of hers; she naturally produced more energy than normal, and could channel it through her hands into other things. Like Decepticon intelligence database terminals. _

_She stepped inside, slipping into the corner just as pedesteps sounded. Soundwave, the intimidating spy master, walked past her with Laserbeak on his shoulder. So confident in your own lair, aren't you, Soundy? Thought the femme darkly, fist clenching. The door reopened just as Soundwave stood in front of it, and a different mech stood there. Whitecurrent had not ever seen him before. A tall grounder with the perfect frontliner's frame and a masked face, wheels above his pedes that looked like they could come down for a speed boost, like Sunny and Sides', but he was definitely bigger than the twins, at least vertically. _

_His paintjob was black, but he had dark blue on his armour as well. Whitecurrent frowned, surprised that Roguestar was a grounder. It simplified her job somewhat, but it was still rather odd for the Decepticons to choose someone so obviously mundane for the intelligence roster._

"_Soundwave." Said Roguestar, dipping his helm respectfully. Soundwave looked down at the younger Con, and then just pushed past and out. As the door closed, Roguestar stood there for a second, inhaling deeply. He then said in a quiet near whisper, "Arrogant slag sucker."_

_Whitecurrent nearly chuckled, watching the Decepticon walk to the console. _

_Time for action. _

_Roguestar checked in for duty, then began his monitoring, sorting, and reporting at the console. The femme began to creep up behind him, shockers ready for attack. Just a few inches more, and he'd go down without a fight._

_Suddenly, Roguestar whirled, leveling a gun with Whitecurrent's helm. His optics were narrowed, dangerously glinting._

"_Well well. What's a pretty Autobot doing here, without a weapon?" He purred. _

"_Thought I'd drop by for some energon goodies and oil." Whitecurrent said sweetly. "You're so welcoming, Roguey."_

_The Decepticon smirked a bit. "Did Jazz send you, sweet spark?"_

_Whitecurrent smirked right back, optics hidden behind the visor. "Handsome, you have no idea who you're dealing with."_

_She lashed out, dodging out of firing range and aiming for his torso, hands sparking dangerously. She hit him with a grunt, and the energy went right into his nervous system. _

_Roguestar jolted and shuddered, screaming. The femme silenced him just in time. Roguestar put up a good fight, but then he stilled. _

"_Sorry, handsome." She said with a bit of amusement. "The femme wins this time."_

_She charged up, placed her hands on the console, and sent deadly jolts into the ridiculously expensive, difficult to replace piece of equipment. One console out of many, but one more intelligence base crippled. Whitecurrent turned away, sparks still circling around her hands. Suddenly, something grabbed her legs. Roguestar had his servo around her ankle, and a gun pointed at her._

"_Afraid I can't let you get away with that, femme." He said, voice still faint from the shock. Whitecurrent knew she couldn't just shake him off. "Let go." She said dangerously. _

_Roguestar didn't budge. Whitecurrent had chosen special opps because she was never caught. In the hope that she'd not have to deal with this. Stupid, cocky, idiot! She swore to herself. _

_She charged up her hands to a near lethal state, and looked down at the red optics, at the mech who was slowly regaining strength. _

"_I'm sorry." She told him, her voice cold. Then she began to spark up, and sent the charge right at Roguestar. The visored face of the dark femme was the last thing he saw before green engulfed him._

* * *

><p>Stirling Turner watched the young woman interact with her co-workers, and remembered the energy field, her eyes glowing. He wondered who she was. Whether she'd been an Autobot, or Decepticon, before Project Spark. Before Shockwave.<p>

Alicia's hair was changing. Her blonde hair now was darkening extremely, tied back as always, and Stirling could tell there was energy coursing through her that was higher than humans.

And then there were those eyes. Since her transformation, they hadn't started changing, which was unusual. He'd had green optics before the modifications, and knew the rarity in Cybertronians. The fact his eyes were going red showed the power of those modifications, even in this body.

And he only knew of one other green opticked Cybertronian. But it couldn't be her.

The girl smiled at the one Sides had called Riker, and began laughing at a joke or something. Stirling hadn't caught it.

So, how to do this, Stirling wondered. "Hi, Alicia isn't it? Yeah, I'm the slightly crazy sounding guy from the mall. Guess what? You're actually an alien pretender, who is hiding in the human community as a secret sleeper experiment, and I'm one too!"

Yeah. No.

Just then, the boss lady came out of the back and called Riker inside. Riker left, and Alicia got back to the motor they'd been working on. She was alone.

Stirling breathed deeply, and walked across the street.

"Hello? Miss?"

Alicia turned, a friendly smile on her face. That faded almost instantly. "You."

"Yeah, me." He stood there, gestured to the motor. "Don't stop on my account."

Alicia looked conflicted. "What do you want?"

"To talk to you."

"Why?"

"My name's Stirling Turner." He said. "And I'm here to talk to you about what we have in common."

Alicia snorted. "Worst pickup line ever. Scram, before I call my friends."

"I know what happened a few nights ago, Alicia."

The girl stiffened a bit, but she didn't speak to him.

"The metal under your skin wants out, doesn't it, Alicia."

Alicia stared at him. "What are you talking about? Metal? Are you insane?"  
>"Probably. But not about this."<p>

Alicia turned on him. "Well you know what? Get out! You don't know shit, Mr. Turner."

Stirlings skin on his right hand suddenly peeled back just then, like it was burning. Stirling was grateful it had decided to listen to him this time. Metal curves, glowing lines. Alicia gasped, drawing back.

"Oh God!" She gasped, and ran for the office. Stirling groaned.

"Alicia, listen! You can't handle this alone! Not now that you're changing."

Alicia was gone, though, and Stirling decided it was best to leave. He was not used to this. Maybe it was because Alicia's life was actually better balanced than most of their kind. But Alicia needed to get out of this life, before it got worse. Before the encryptions were activated.

* * *

><p>"Ally, are you okay?"<p>

Alicia smiled at Tasha, who had hurried to Opal's as soon as she'd heard about her friend's problem. Like, that the cop's were looking for her best friend.

Ally smiled. "I'm fine, Tash. Just scared."

Natasha and Alicia were in Opal's shop, sitting at the kitchen table while Opal cooked dinner. Tasha had brought coffee over for all of them, and Ally was cradling hers protectively.  
>"So, what happened exactly, Ally?" Tasha asked softly. "Your mum seemed pretty freaked."<p>

"I honestly don't know, Tash. I'm still figuring it out."

"Just tell her, Alicia." Said Opal quietly.

"Opal knows?" Tasha asked, her eyes wide.

"I told her when I ran away. I dunno why." Said Alicia. She looked up at the ceiling blankly. "God, everything's so screwed up."

"Ally, c'mon!" Said Tash. "Spill. Your mum was on Mom level Red."

"I wasn't doing drugs, Tasha!" Ally squeaked. "God, you know me better than that."

"I didn't say you were. So, what's up?"

Ally's hand began to twitch. She looked right at Tasha, and tried to get the words to form in her mouth.

"I'm not human, Natasha."

Tasha was quiet. She stared at Alicia, the only sound in the room the sound of dinner sizzling on the stove as that statement was processed. Then, Natasha snorted, and began to laugh.

"Ally, be serious. I've known you for years."

"That's just it, Tasha. I think I was human til a while back. Or at least pretty human. But now, things keep happening, that I shouldn't be able to do."

"Like what?" Asked Tasha.

"Like strip all of the skin off my arm and have another one of metal underneath. And short out all the appliances nearby. And create energy fields."

"But I thouht we decided that guy was crazy."

"Actually, he was here earlier today, as well. And he's like me, I think."

"Alicia. I know you're crazy. But you're good crazy. He's not."

"Good crazy doesn't drink motor oil."

Tasha's eyebrows went up, and she looked over at Opal, who nodded. "Caught her doing it about an hour before you got here."

"Damn, Ally." Said Tasha. "Maybe we should get you help."

"Aside from getting drugged up and institutionalized, what are they going to do?" Asked Alicia. "Truth is, Tash, I don't think any human help will be good help."

Opal put a plate of food in front of Tash, her face thoughtful. "Alicia's right. She's gonna seem crazy until something triggers her transformation. Any of her other complaints would be considered insanity."

"What triggered the last one?" Asked Tash, still sounding a bit skeptical?

"That news report about the meteors and aliens." Said Alicia. "I saw something afterwards. Like a memory."

Natasha cocked her head. "So, you're thinking whatever you are is triggered by the aliens that the loonies claim crawled out of the space rocks?"

"Actually, I think, and Opal agrees, that I may have actually been one, somehow."

* * *

><p><strong>So, what do you think? Let me know with a review. Thank you to emzydatffan and Transfan1623 for reviewing last time, and everyone who favorited. I'm glad you guys like this story so much. Keep giving that feed back! It's muchly appreciated!<strong>

**Luv ya'll, and Happy New Years! **

**-Nevra **


	7. Chapter 7

_No longer the lost_

_No longer the same_

_And I can see you starting to break_

_I'll keep you alive_

_If you show me the way_

_Forever - and ever_

_the scars will remain_

_I'm falling apart_

_Leave me here forever in the dark _

_-Give me a sign, Breaking Benjamin_

* * *

><p><em>Natasha cocked her head. "So, you're thinking whatever you are is triggered by the aliens that the loonies claim crawled out of the space rocks?"<em>

"_Actually, I think, and Opal agrees, that I may have actually been one, somehow." _

"What!" Natasha squealed. She looked over at their hostess. "Opal, you're encouraging this craziness?!"

"After what I've seen Ally do, what am I supposed to do?" Asked Opal. "And I did not say aliens, Ally. I said you weren't human."

"Fine." Said Alicia.

"So, now what?" Asked Natasha.

"I dunno? The boy, Stirling, he was like me. But if memory serves, there are some that I shouldn't trust. I don't know if he's one of them."

"Wait, memory?" Said Tasha.

"Yeah." Said Ally. "Don't get me started on that, please Tasha. My head hurts."

"Sorry, Alicia." Said Tasha, with a frown.

"You're both taking this well." Said Alicia, her tone a bit confused.

"Well." Said Natasha. "I think I'm still processing it."

Ally grinned. She couldn't help it. "Huh. Let's see how long this lasts."

"Yeah." Said Tasha quietly. She took a bite from her dinner, and looked up at Opal. "Good stuff, crazy person."

Opal snorted, and turned back to the stove. "Thanks, Collins."

Alicia looked at the food on her plate. It looked alright, but she just couldn't get into it. It wasn't right.

Ally shuddered at thought. She wanted the electrifying, lemony taste she vaguely remembered. Not hamburger. Not garlic.

And it scared her.

* * *

><p><em>Whitecurrent was relaxing, a well deserved break in a very rare neutral port. She stretched, fresh from an oil bath and feeling great.<br>"Mmm. Simply glorious." She purred, watching the other species passing by. Her green optics caught some attention, especially from species known to trade with Cybertronians. She smiled, and walked towards the rendezvous point, feeling much better._

_As she passed by a storage room, Whitecurrent began to get that lousy feeling all of a sudden._

_It was well warranted, as she was pulled inside the storage room by strong servos. _

_Whitecurrent hissed dangerously, but her vocaliser was cut off._

"_Well, well. So those are the optics behind the visor. Very pretty, Whitecurrent."_

_The femme growled. Her servos sparked, lighting up the claustrophobic space. _

_"I'm very sorry, that won't work this time." Her captor chuckled. _

_The dark femme got away from his stifling servo, and smacked him. She was away from his grasp, but he still blocked the door. "So, I've sent you into spasms before."_

_"Now really. Am I that forgettable, Whitecurrent?" The mech asked. "Of course, you do have those twins trailing behind you like lovesick younglings."_

_"Who the hell are you?" Said Whitecurrent. "Let me by! I've no idea what you're talking about."_

_"Please, my dear. That line isn't becoming of our profession."_

_Whitecurrent lit up her hand suddenly. "I really don't have time for this. Get outta my way or I'll-" She looked up at his illuminated faceplates, voice Trailing off. "Roguestar."_

_"I recommend you make time, Whitecurrent." He said coolly. _

_The femme had recovered though. "Not on your life! Get lost, 'Con!"_

_Suddenly she was against the wall, Roguestar's claws glowing slightly, his face so close she could have kissed him. _

_"You're the first in a long time to knock me on my aft, femme!"_

_"Obviously it was over due, Roguey." Said Whitecurrent. She glared at him. "Now let me go before my friends come looking for me."_

_The Decepticon mech stared at her. Then he let go of her with a sly grin. _

_She cautiously went to the door, hands sparking. Then, Roguestar said calmly. "I'll be keeping an optic on you, Whitecurrent."_

_The femme couldn't resist. "Just pray Soundwave doesn't learn of this, Roguey. For your sake."_

_The mech chuckled. "Believe me, Whitecurrent. He never will."_

* * *

><p>Alicia awoke with a start, the adjustment from dream to reality disorienting. She looked about, realising she was in Opal's little dwelling in the back of the shop. She shivered a bit, and stood up to go look out the window.<p>

How long til they traced her here? Alicia wasn't an idiot. She knew that in this age of technology, they'd find out somehow that she'd worked here. They'd come here looking for a lead, and find her if she wasn't careful. And Opal might get in trouble for harbouring a fugitive.

"But I haven't done anything wrong." Ally whispered softly.

Yes you have. If you're not human, that means Acacia can't be your mother. And Acacia had a baby. But you aren't it. So that means, you've taken the real Alicia Burton's place. You've stolen her life.

Alicia felt a chill. She couldn't be Alicia Burton. So, who was she then? Was she the Whitecurrent whoe's eyes she'd see out of in her dreams?

But, if that was true, was she one of them? The metal creatures? That made sense. The metal beneath her arm at least made sense now.

But, she still had human skin, human blood, and human needs. They looked a bit human in shape, but there the resemblance ended.

Maybe, maybe that male, Roguestar, had something to do with it. Oddly, though, when she attempted to dig further into these new ghost memories, and thought about his face, and his name, there was a kind of sadness related to it, one she had no interest in bringing.

What about those twins she kept seeing?

Alicia was about to delve into those thoughts, when something caught her attention.

A silver corvette, parked outside the shop's lot on the street.

Jeager. Or Turner, if he still had his. What were the chances of two guys with silver corvette's taking an interest in her?

Or coming to this crummy town?

Alicia began to get that goddamn chill again. Too many coincidences for them to be coincidences. All these events were connected. Her dreams, the meteors, her transformations, Jeager and Turner, the metal titans.

She found herself going to the office, and taking some blank printer paper and a pencil. She began to draw. Ally had never been a steller artist, but it helped her think, helped get her thoughts down. A way to purge her mind and get everything down in a 2-D, easy to read format.

Her eyes began to droop. She fell asleep on top of her drawing, head on Opal's desk. And thankfully, there were no dreams.

* * *

><p>Stirling Turner watched the shop wearlily. Being near her in the shop, he had sensed something about her, and began to realise Sideswipe probably felt it too. It didn't make the youth comfortable, and neither companion wanted to talk about it.<p>

Though Stirling had begun to expect Sideswipe's silence simply meant he was asleep.

Stirling looked down at his hand, twiddling his fingers to see the metal flex beneath his thinning flesh. It felt strange, but right. He was progressing towards his real body, not this fleshy facade.

He looked up, and saw a pale face in the window of the dwelling part of the shop. Alicia.

Stirling watched her, knew she'd spotted them, but oddly couldn't care. Here was one like him; trapped in an inferior body, confused, and alone. But, the loneliness didn't have to be. He could help her if only Alicia could see that was his intention.

Absently, he reached for the old notebook, before realising he'd even reached towards it.

The faded entries screamed at , failure. If she could see you now, she'd be laughing!

No she wouldn't. Because she wasn't like that. She understood.

Keep telling yourself that, Roguey. Maybe you'll start believing it someday.

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><p><strong>So, what do you think? Let me know with a review! Thanks oodles to <em>Kristen Verne <em>and _Savvy Orion childofcommander _for reviewing last chapter, and to the new favs and followers! I love you all, and am so glad you like my story!  
><strong>

**-Nevra**


	8. Chapter 8

**Alright. If the song below isn't an indicator, I warn you now. There is attempted suicide in this chapter. Read at your own discretion. Otherwise, enjoy our latest and important character. **

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><p>My legs are dangling off the edge,<p>

The bottom of the bottle is my only friend,

I think I'll slit my wrists again and I'm gone, gone, gone, gone,

My legs are dangling off the edge,

A stomach full of pills didn't work again,

I'll put a bullet in my head and I'm gone, gone, gone, gone.

-Bullet, Hollywood Undead

* * *

><p>"Mom! Shut up! Where the hell is Alicia!"<p>

"Damned if I know where that creature is! Now don't you talk to me like that, Elise!"

Elise Burton stood on the porch, her bag beside her, her eyes narrowed. Acacia stood in the door, yelling at her oldest daughter.

"My god, Mom!" Elise said. "You can't be serious! Ally's your daughter! The way you're acting, I'm thinking I should call the cops!"

"Go ahead! Call them!" Said the elder Burton. "Call them, Elise! But as long as you're going to talk back to me, you can go right back to where ever it is you've been the past nine months!"

"Do I look sick and homeless, Mom! I didn't come back here cause I need a place to crash. I came because I wanted to see my family, and last I checked, Ally was part of that equation."

Acacia glared, and her hand went behind the door. "If you'd seen what I'd seen, Elise, then you'd be in the same boat."

The door slammed, and Elise stood there, her backpack next to her, and a thunderous expression on her face.

"And a good day to you too." Said Elise to the white painted door.

She picked up the backpack and began the walk down the path and sidewalk. Her chestnut hair whipped about in it's braid as she snapped to look up the second floor window where Alicia's room was.

Seriously, how could you raise a child for years and then treat it like a monster? Elise again felt combined guilt and relief for leaving Cade, Ricky and Ally with that woman.

"Elise?"

The nineteen year old looked over, and saw that corvette and the boy leaning out of it.

"Sides?"

The ashy blonde holoform grinned. "Well, damn. What are you doing here?"

"This is my 'hood. I should be asking you that, robo-boy."

The passenger door opened, and another boy emerged, frowning. "Who's this, Sides?" He asked, his weird eyes wary.

"Oh, where are my manners. Stirling, this is Elise Burton. She's a friend. Elise, this is Stirling Turner."  
>"I never thought I'd see you with another fleshbag." Said the human girl, crossing her arms.<p>

"She knows?" Stirling demanded.

Sideswipe grinned sheepishly. "Um,-"

"He saved my life, Mr. Turner." Said Elise, shortly. "Now, seriously, Sides. Why are you here?"

Sides and Stirling looked at each other. "Well." Said the Cybertronian. "We're, looking for a girl."

"What girl?" Asked Elise. Her eyes brightened in realisation. "Alicia."

"Wait, how do you know?" Asked punched his shoulder.

Elise suddenly grabbed the holoforms arm. "Sideswipe, why are you looking for my sister?"  
>"Your sister?!" Said Stirling and Sideswipe.<p>

"Yes! My sister!" Said Elise. "I thought you robots were smart. Her last name's Burton. You're in my neighbourhood. Dot to dot. You do those as a child, Turner?"

"Hem. I can't say I have." Said Stirling coldly. He then went inside the car, almost pouting.

"What's his deal?" Elise asked.

"Oh, don't get me started, please Elise." He muttered.

"Alright, so, then do you know what happened to my sister?"

Stirling popped his head out. "Hey, Sides. She's a civilian. Stop fraternizing!"

"Shut up, Roguey!" Snapped Sides. "It's only fair she knows. Alicia's her sister."

"Frag you, you sappy silver twit! I'm getting a bad feeling about this!"

Elise glared at him, but kept speaking to Sides.

"Seriously. Sides, what if this was your brother? You aren't going to listen to that uptight little jerk, are you?"

"Nope." Said Sides, quietly. "Cause I know you, Elise, and Stirling doesn't. Just, don't move her, please. She's not safe if she leaves that place, got it?"

"I understand, robo-boy." Said the woman. "Even if I don't understand why my family is even more psycho than usual, why my sister is missing, and why you and some wacko with a stick up his ass know where she is and have my hood under surveillance."

"And I'll tell you everything, later." Said Sideswipe. "We'll catch up, sans Stirling, tonight. Deal?"

Elise Burton smiled. "Deal. Thank you, Sideswipe." She said.

"She's at Opal's shop."

* * *

><p><em>The swirling water was probably cold, eleven feet below her swinging legs. The air smelled like booze and cold and car exhaust. <em>

_Elise had blown her last bit of cash on the beer at her side and the cigarette pack in her pocket. It was so cold out here. The bridge was abandoned this late at night, not a car for miles. _

_She watched the banks below, and the water, and the ice floes bobbing and getting pulled under the current. _

_She downed the last little bit of beer in the pack, then tossed the can into the current. Her head was swirling like the water. She was already drowning. _

_Suddenly, a car speeds onto the bank, a silver blur in the darkness. Elise in her drunkenness found it fascinating, watched it, distracted momentarily from her dark thoughts. The car idled on the bank for a moment, before suddenly, something happened that Elise wasn't certain was influenced by the beer or not. _

_It turned into a freaking bipedal robot. _

_The silver robot limped to the edge of the water, sat down, and began to pick something from its leg. It's hurt, her bleary mind realised. _

_She watched, taking out a cigarette, lighting it. She smoked and watched the robot. It didn't seem to notice her._

_Of course not, it isn't there. Quite wasting time. _

_But she just didn't seem to have it in her right then. She looked to her cigarettes again, then where the robot had been. _

_It was gone._

_It took her a bit to get worked up again. Finished her cigarette. She was going to do it. She was going to jump._

_She was soaring, falling._

_And suddenly she wasn't _

_She was in a hand. A large, silver hand lifting her up. _

_Elise looked up. A face looked down at her. "What the pit were you doing that for?"_

"_I dunno." Slurred Elise. "I'm useless, homeless, broke. That's a start. Why are you silver?"_

_The face looked taken aback. "You're overcharged."_

"_No, I'm drunk." Elise suddenly burst into tears. "I think I'm dead. Am I dead?"_

"_Um, no?" He said uncertainly._

_Elise looked up at him. "Why didn't you let me die?" She asked. "I'm better off dead!"_

"_No. No you're not." He set her on the ground, insuring to block the bridge edge. "Hey, stop leaking."  
>"I am. I am so better off dead! Oh god." She curled up, and just sobbed. They just sat there like that, til her tears just stopped. She looked up. The robot was still there, looking concerned. <em>

"_You're still here?" She sniffled. _

"_Why wouldn't I be?" _

"_Cause you're a hallucination." Said the girl._

_The robot chuckled. "No, I'm not. My name's Sideswipe."_

"_That's a funny name." She said. _

"_Oh, is that a fact? What's your name?"_

"_Elise."_

"_You weren't really going to kill yourself, were you, Elise?"_

_The human sniffled. "I dunno what else to do." She whispered. _

"_Well, going and killing yourself is hardly a good way to fix it." _

"_Oh yeah? How would you know? You're a giant, silver dream robot."_

"_Oh, trust me. I know." Said the robot, softly. _

_Elise looked up at the silver face. She frowned, and began to feel dizzy again. "I don't feel so hot." She groaned. "Damn, I'm boozed up."  
>And she blacked out. <em>

_Sideswipe wasn't sure what to do. He couldn't leave her out here. There were so many dangers out here for an organic, including Barricade, who was still around here somewhere, and herself and her suicidal thoughts._

_First off, she needs to sleep it off. Then we'll go from there, I suppose._

"_Well, Elise. Looks like I'm stuck with you for a bit." He sighed. "Curse my good nature." _

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><p><strong>So, what do think? Let me know! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, favorited and followed. I love you all! :)<strong>


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